CU-Boulder to launch Shakespeare series this spring

Period style specialist Tamara Meneghini gives technical pointers to the cast of As You Like It on Thursday, Jan. 10, inside the University Theater building on the CU campus in Boulder. (JEREMY PAPASSO)

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What: Stratford or Oxford?: a discussion of the Shakespearean authorship question

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival, held each summer at the University of Colorado, is teaming up with the Arts and Humanities Department to present Spring into Shakespeare, a series of weekly events focused on the famous playwright.

Also known as Wednesdays with Will, the series is intended to educate the community about William Shakespeare's continued influence on performing arts.

The events range from discussions of the Bard's literary themes, to relating his works with an anti-bullying campaign, to a Bollywood version of "Othello."

The first event will kick off the series on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and will continue through May 1. A full list of the events can be found at www.colorado.edu/cwc/shakes.html.

Shirley Carnah, associate chair of CU's Humanities Program, said the event topics were created to connect with the largest audience possible.

"The events purposely have different times and themes to entice different types of people," Carnah said. "We want to attract someone who might not typically go to the Shakespeare Festival, but might attend a CU theater production -- or someone who wouldn't normally attend a CU music presentation, but they'll come to the discussion about war and soldiers."

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Philip Sneed, producing artistic director of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, said the series will likely increase awareness of the annual summer festival, as well as the Arts and Humanities Department.

"We hope it helps keep Shakespeare in the community's mind as we start selling tickets for the summer," Sneed said. "One or more of the sessions will be on some of our upcoming shows like 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' 'Macbeth' and 'Richard II.'"

If the series is a success this spring, both departments said they're hoping to make it an annual event.

While the series includes a range of topics and mediums, Sneed said there is one overarching theme that neither Shakespeare novices, nor enthusiasts, can deny.

"Shakespeare's work continues to be relevant and is showing up even in modern film and television," Sneed said. "I was watching Star Trek the other day and two episodes back-to-back were named for lines from Shakespearean works."

"His work is transcendent and inescapable. It's not just for English departments."

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